


When You’re A Belter

by jenunjen96816



Category: The Expanse (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-07 18:27:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20980388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenunjen96816/pseuds/jenunjen96816
Summary: When you’re a JetYou’re a Jet all the wayFrom your first cigaretteTo your last dyin’ day-	The Jet Song, West Side StoryWe need to go to Tycho Station. Once we’re there, you can dump me off, and you’ll never have to see me again.-Naomi Nagata to the crew of the RocinanteAfter Naomi tells Holden she gave the proto-molecule sample to Fred Johnson, Holden and crew dump Naomi off on Tycho Station. Alone, upset and guilt-ridden, Naomi calls the only friendly face she can think of in the whole universe - Drummer.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story starts up after the end of Season Two, when Naomi tells Holden she gave the proto-molecule sample to Fred Johnson, and then says that the Rocinante should head to Tycho Station. I’m going to stick in the canonical world of The Expanse, however I may be a bit off on some of the exact facts. I apologize in advance for any falsities, and any references are just there to set context and drive the story. And, this story is more about the relationship between Naomi and Drummer, not necessarily trying to rewrite Season Three of the actual show.
> 
> This may end up being a one-shot, but I aim to turn it into something a little longer (5-10 chapters) if I can figure out a good angle (I have a couple ideas).
> 
> Most importantly – I thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the story.

“Here”, Drummer said, handing Naomi a drink from the bartender. “Drink.”

“I really fucked up”, Naomi said, eyes staring down at the counter.

“No, you didn’t”, Drummer said. “You’re loyal to the Belt. And Fred fights for the Belt.”

“I betrayed my crew. I betrayed my friends. I betrayed the ma-” she started to say the man I’m with, but then stopped, because something made her not want to say those words to Drummer. Yes, there was – or maybe at this point had been – something with Holden – she couldn’t deny that. But, there was also something with the woman right next to her. Naomi had been thinking about the beautiful raven-haired security commander ever since their day of handball and dancing. She hadn’t fallen in love at first sight – no, that’s wasn’t her style. But her interest had been piqued. In fact, if she was honest with herself, there had been times when she had been thinking about Drummer while she had been with Holden. Thinking about what it would be like to touch her, to hold her, to be in her arms. Wondering what her lips taste like. One time, when she and Holden had gotten drunk and then had sex, she had almost called out the wrong name. She wanted to maybe tell this to Drummer, but she didn’t know how, especially since she wasn’t sure herself of exactly what she felt. But, there was something, she thought, and then Drummer interrupted her thoughts.

“Maybe that’s one way to look at it”, Drummer said. “But we’re Belters. And Belters need to stick together.” Naomi didn’t say anything, so Drummer said, “Look – I know, we all have dreams and notions of being the one to break free, to make a change, to be the one to be seen by Inners as an equal, but let’s face it – as much as we could ever do, as far as we could ever get, Inners are always going to look at us as being beneath them. We could be smarter, faster, stronger, better looking – it wouldn’t matter. The fact is, to them, we’re not from the inner planets. And to them, that automatically makes use lower class.” She paused for a moment, and looked at Naomi, then continued. “And sure – Inners and Belters may hook up once in a while, and some may even have a relationship for a short time, but c’mon – how many Inner-Belter relationships can you think of that have lasted?” Naomi just stared, not being able to think of any, so Drummer said, “me either”. She gazed back at Naomi for a moment and then said. “We belong with each other.” When Naomi kept staring, Drummer smiled slightly. “Belters, I mean.” At that, Naomi smiled slightly, and Drummer said, “And you should be with someone who sees you as an equal, who sees you for who you are.”

“And who is that? Who am I?” Naomi asked.

“A beautiful, strong Belter woman. Her own woman, not just a second-class citizen on some ship, just doing the bidding of some Inner male captain.”

At that, Naomi smiled. “Thank you. I needed that.”

Drummer smiled back. “And, well, you and me-”

“Look, D”, Naomi began. “You and I, we have…a connection…something. I feel it, and I know you know I do. And, well, you’re strong too, and gorgeous.” At that Drummer smiled back “But it’s just that I-” Naomi began, but before she could finish, Drummer took her hand and stood up. 

“Finish your drink”, Drummer said, downing the last of her own. “Let’s go.”

“Wait - where are we going?”

“I have somewhere I want to take you, c’mon”, Drummer said, then smiled and lightly tugged, so Naomi finished her drink and got up and followed Drummer, who led her out of the bar by the hand.

“Where are we going?” Naomi asked again, partially intrigued, and partially marveling at the feeling of Drummer’s hand holding her own.

Drummer looked back over her shoulder and smiled suggestively. “You’ll see.”

********

“What is this?” Naomi asked. They were in a large windowless room, not far from Drummer’s quarters. In the middle of the room were some reclining chairs and a table with a computer panel on it.

“I wanted to show you this before you left, but, well…you took off on me before I had the chance”, Drummer said. Naomi frowned and Drummer winked, to let Naomi know she wasn’t mad, then walked over to the table. “It’s an experience simulator. We’ve been working on it for a while. We designed it to simulate combat or emergency situations, to help us train. But, there are other uses for it too”, Drummer said and smiled slightly. She pressed a button and a bunch of visuals popped up on the wall – images and videos of Mars, Venus, Jupiter, as well as some of Earth’s locales popped up. “Look at this – we can ‘go’ anywhere”, Drummer said and smiled.

“Wow”, Naomi said, trying to take it all in.

“Look at this” Drummer said, pointing to a lush tropical picture. “It’s like a vacation, like the kind I have heard about Earthers used to take. They would go to some place warm, with sand, and water, and green trees they calm palm trees, and lay around on the sand, on towels, and wade in the water, and drink alcohol, and don’t worry about things.”

“Sounds wonderful”, Naomi said, staring at the image, mostly a still, but leaves on the trees lightly blowing in the wind, the waves rippling slightly on the water, like a cinemagraph.

“C’mon, let’s go”, Drummer said.

“What – now?” Naomi said.

“Why not? You have something better to do?” Drummer asked. When Naomi didn’t say anything, Drummer stepped close and grazed her fingers lightly down Naomi’s arm. “You’ve been through a lot, and your former crewmates just dumped you off here and left. You don’t have anything pressing to do, as far as I know. Don’t you think now is a good time for a vacation?” Naomi stared for a moment and then smiled slightly. “Besides”, Drummer continued”, I’ve been working a lot, and I could use a vacation as well. And, well, I haven’t seen you in a while, so…” Drummer paused, then stepped in even closer to Naomi, and said, “it would be nice to spend some time together. Away from all of this”, she said, gesturing to the outside world, beyond the walls of the room they were in.

Naomi paused, thinking. It did sound wonderful, a vacation, someplace relaxing. Throughout her life she had often wondered what it would be like to be an Earther, to go on vacations, to live a privileged life. The reality was that she’d probably never know, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t experience it, at least for a bit. And then there was the person she would be going on vacation with, the gorgeous, strong, brave, raven-haired woman in front of her. She paused for a moment thinking.

Drummer took her hand off Naomi’s arm said lightly ran her fingers along Naomi’s cheek. “C’mon – I want to take you on a vacation.” She stared into Naomi’s eyes and said, “Look, if you hate it, we can come back. Instantly. I mean, it’s not like we need to travel far to get back, right?”

At that, Naomi smiled slightly. Drummer was right. There was no downside. And the more she stood close to Drummer, the less she thought about Holden – the confusion had she often felt about their relationship, the pain in his eyes when she had told him about the proto-molecule. Perhaps their relationship had been born out of conflict. People in stressful situations sometimes form attachments, and because of that, those attachments may just be due to the stress they are experiencing at that time. Maybe that was what had happened between her and Holden. But this, with Drummer…maybe this was not that. Maybe they could just be themselves, just two people, getting to know each other, no stress attached. She smiled wider and said, “Okay, I’m in.”

Drummer smiled back. “Good, let’s go”, she said. She typed on the computer panel and then sat in one of the chairs. “Sit”, she told Naomi. “Now, recline in the chair and relax”, Drummer said. “You will feel a small jolt. There are electrodes in the headrest that stimulate the brain. That’s what takes us into the simulation”, she said. “Now, close your eyes.”

Naomi closed her eyes and then felt a slight jolt, not painful, but like a small static shock. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“Someplace nice”, Drummer said, and then their worlds went black.


	2. Chapter 2

“Here, I got that”, Drummer said, taking the suitcase that held her and Naomi’s vacation clothing. She started walking into the hotel and then looked back and smiled. “Are you coming?”

“Yeahhhh”, Naomi said, looking around in awe. They were standing in front of a charming little hotel. Beyond the hotel was the beach, and then the water. Palm trees lined the street. People passed them by, walking casually, talking, laughing. Birds chirped. “It’s… so…real”, she said.

“C’mon, let’s go get our room”, Drummer said. Naomi looked at her, still in awe, and Drummer smiled and said, “By the way, I love your outfit.”

“What?” Naomi said. Drummer raised her eyebrows and gave Naomi a quick look up and down. Naomi looked down at herself. She was wearing a pastel orange summer dress, and beige heeled sandals.

Drummer smiled at her. “Let’s go, beautiful Belter model”, she said. Naomi smiled, partly at the compliment and partly marveling at what she was wearing, and then the two of them walked into the hotel. “Our cabana is on the beach out back”, Drummer said, as they walked through the hotel lobby. Guests were sitting in chairs, at the bar, drinking, eating, visiting with one another.

“It’s so…real”, Naomi said again. “I feel like I’m in a movie, or something.”

Drummer smiled, and they stepped out the back of the hotel and walked along a path towards their cabana, Naomi continuing to look around in awe. They arrived at the cabana, and Drummer opened the door.

“Wow”, Naomi said of the opulence as they stepped in. To the right was a marble-tiled bathroom. To the left was a small kitchen with granite countertops. In front of them was a plush sofa and a small table with two chairs. On the back wall was the bed, and next to it a sliding door that opened onto a small patio, then beyond that the white crystal sand of the beach. The ocean sparkled at the beach’s edge, less than a hundred feet away. Drummer smiled and took the suitcase and started unpacking clothes into the dresser and closet. Naomi watched her for a moment and then said, “You don’t seem very awed.”

Drummer stopped unpacking and looked at Naomi. “I’ve been here before”, she said. When Naomi didn’t say anything, she said, “I needed to check it out, to make sure it would be perfect…in case I ever got a chance to take you here.” She smiled.

Naomi stared at Drummer, then looked around. She looked back at Drummer and then looked around again. All of a sudden she was starting to feel overwhelmed. “Okay, wait…hold on”, she said, putting her hands out.

“What’s wrong?” Drummer asked. She stopped unpacking and walked over to Naomi.

“Nothing”, Naomi said. “It’s just…it’s all so…real”, Naomi said. She paused for a moment and then said, “How did you know I was going to come back to Tycho? And how did you know I would say yes, if you asked me out on vacation?”

“I didn’t”, Drummer said with a shrug. “I just hoped.” She paused for a moment and then said, “Sometimes, for us Belters, hope is all we have.” She looked at Naomi, and then said, “Look – if it’s too much, we can go back. Or do something else. Maybe this is too big for a first time-”

“No”, Naomi interrupted her. She paused for a moment, thinking, and then smiled slightly. “It’s…lovely. I love it. And you look lovely, too”, she said. Drummer was wearing a striped blue and white dress, and blue sandals.

“Are you sure?” Drummer asked.

“Am I sure that you look lovely?” Naomi said cheekily.

“No”, Drummer laughed lightly. I know I look lovely”, she said haughtily, and Naomi rolled her eyes slightly, tension relieved. “Are you sure that you want to stay? That this is not too much?”

“Yes”, Naomi said. “I’m sure that I want to stay.” She looked at Drummer for a moment, regarding the beautiful woman in front of her, who was taking her on vacation, doing all of this for her, then stepped in a bit closer.

Drummer stared back at Naomi. Less than a foot and their lips would meet. This is what I want, Drummer thought. This is what I have wanted since the first day and night we went out. But no rush. I want to make sure that our feelings are real. “Okay, then we stay”, she said, then smiled, leaned in, and gave Naomi a quick but tender kiss on the cheek, close to Naomi’s mouth. “Shall we sit on the sand and have a drink?”

********

“I noticed you haven’t had to pay for anything”, Naomi said. She and Drummer were walking along the beach. They had spent the afternoon sitting on towels in the sand and having drinks served to them by attentive servers, and now they were walking along the beach. The sun was starting to set.

“One of the benefits of a simulator”, Drummer said. “We can take the best parts of the vacation experience and leave out the other parts, like having to worry about money, or having your possessions stolen. Did you notice – we just left our sandals and towels on the beach? They will be back in our hotel room when we get back there. Like magic”, Drummer said and smiled. Naomi laughed lightly, and then Drummer said. “Growing up, we were poor. We were always worrying about money. And there was always thievery. Even now, there is lots of crime. And none of us are rich”, she said. “Part of being a Belter, I guess. Life is hard. Anyway, for our vacation, it’s nice to take a vacation from worries, in addition to getting to go to an exotic location.”

“Yes, it is nice”, Naomi said. “And I still can’t get over it…everything is so…real”, she said. “sand feels real, the drinks taste real, but…” she paused for a moment and then asked, “We’re not really drinking anything though, are we?”

“No”, Drummer said. “It’s all signals to the brain, so right now we perceive all of this as real, but in reality, we haven’t consumed anything. We’re just sitting in reclining chairs”, she said with a smile. “Although I guess just relaxing in a reclining chair can be considered something of a vacation in itself, yes?”

Naomi smiled and then asked, “So, how long can we stay here? I mean, we have to eat sooner or later.”

“Of course”, Drummer said. “And being in here doesn’t change that. But also, being in here, time works differently. Because we are stimulating the brain using electrodes, we can manipulate time as well. Time passes slower in here. Or faster, if we choose. But for us, it’s passing slower in here. We’ve probably only been in the chairs for a few minutes, even though it feels like we have been here for a whole afternoon.”

“Wow”, Naomi said, then looked around. Part of me just wants to stay in here, forever, she thought. Then she looked at Drummer. With her. Stay in here with her.

Drummer smiled at Naomi, then looked at the horizon. The sun, which had been a bright yellow, was starting to set, the sky turning from blue to brilliant hues of orange and gold, the sun itself now a shimmering red orb. Drummer looked back at Naomi. “C’mon, up there is a turn in the beach. The sun is starting to set. We can watch it go down from there”, she said, then reached for Naomi’s hand. Naomi smiled, allowing Drummer to take her by the hand for the second time today. Drummer lead Naomi to the turn, and then Naomi felt Drummer stand in close behind her.

“Before we made the simulator, I’d never seen a sunset over water”, Drummer said softly. Naomi smiled, feeling Drummer’s breath on her ear, and then she felt Drummer’s strong arms wrap around her waist. “It’s like the most amazing thing ever”, Drummer said.

“This is amazing”, Naomi agreed, staring at the brilliant red orb, sinking into the waterline. She paused for a moment and then turned in Drummer’s arms, so she was facing the beautiful security chief. “You’re amazing too”, she whispered, then wrapped her arms around Drummer's neck. "Thank you for taking me here."

Drummer smiled, then leaned in. “Thank you for letting me take you here”, Drummer whispered back. Naomi smiled, and then Drummer pressed her lips to Naomi’s. She felt Naomi’s lips part and Naomi's tongue connect with her own, and then the two women melted into the kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

Naomi’s eyes fluttered as the morning sunlight tried to push its way through the blinds. She squinted sleepily, then opened her eyes, and found herself staring right into the crook of Drummer’s neck. Drummer was lying on her back, asleep, her right arm around Naomi. Naomi was partially on her side, cuddled into Drummer, her right hand on Drummer’s bare stomach, her face nuzzled into the crook of Drummer’s neck. She stared for a moment, then closed her eyes again and smiled to herself, thinking about the night before. The sunset. The candlelit dinner at the hotel’s beachside restaurant. Dancing at the hotel’s club. Coming back to the hotel room hand in hand, pushing through the door, tongues dancing, kicking off their heels, Drummer peeling off Naomi’s dress and then her own, collapsing in the king-size bed, Drummer’s mouth on Naomi’s neck, then trailing down her body to her breasts, and then to her core, Naomi’s hips arching and toes curling.

“What are you smiling about?” Drummer asked sleepily.

Naomi looked up. Drummer was peering down at her through sleepy eyes.

“Just remembering last night”, Naomi said. Drummer smiled and started stroking Naomi’s hair. Naomi smiled at the feeling. It had been a long time since someone had touched her just like that. Sometimes Holden would hold her, but he never played with her hair. She reveled in the sensation for a bit and then said, “Was last night real?”

“What do you mean?” Drummer asked.

“I mean, I know that this is a simulation, but…you know… you and me…was it real? For you?”

“If it feels real, then it’s real”, Drummer said. When Naomi didn’t say anything, Drummer stopped stroking her hair. She took Naomi’s chin and tilted it up. “I’ve been thinking about you since the day we went out, handball and dancing. When you left, I was…sad.”

“D – I had to go-”

“I know, and I’m not saying you shouldn’t have gone, nor am I looking for an apology or anything. My point is just…I have been thinking about you ever since, hoping you would come back to me, and when you came back and called me, well…”

“You made the most of it”, Naomi said, looking around at the opulent private cabana.

“Yes, I did”, Drummer said. She paused for a moment, and then said, “So yes – this is real, for me. Even though this may not be real”, Drummer said, motioning with her left arm to the room, “what I feel is real.”

Naomi gazed at Drummer for a moment and then smiled. “Me too. I think. I mean, I don’t know, I thought maybe it’s just being here, in this…place, or whatever, and it’s perfect here, and lovely, and…” she paused, thinking for a moment, and then said, “but no – I know because I felt the same for you, ever since that day.” At that Drummer smiled at her, and Naomi tilted her head up and gave Drummer a tender kiss. She lightly nibbled on Drummer's bottom lip, then settled back down and nuzzled into the crook of Drummer’s neck. “This is wonderful. It'd be nice to stay here forever”, she mused.

“Yes, I know”, Drummer said. “Part of me wants to stay here forever, too.” Naomi looked back up and smiled, and Drummer gave her a lingering kiss back. Then Naomi settled back down and laughed lightly. “What is it?” Drummer asked.

“Nothing”, Naomi said.

“What?” Drummer asked again.

“It’s nothing”, Naomi said.

“Tell me”, Drummer said.

“I said it’s nothing, goofball”, Naomi said, still lightly laughing. 

“Tell me”, Drummer said again, then took the bedsheets, which were scattered about the bed, and wrapped Naomi up so her arms were stuck, then took her legs and crossed them around Naomi, and then with her free hand started tickling Naomi’s bare side.

“Tell me”, Drummer said, laughing, as Naomi howled in laughter, unable to defend herself, her arms wrapped up in the sheets, Drummer’s legs holding her in place. “Tell me, or you’ll never escape, my beautiful Belter model.”

“Okay okay okay okay!” Naomi gave in, stammering for breath. Drummer yielded, and unwrapped Naomi from the sheet. Naomi took a pillow and whacked Drummer gently in the head. “Jerk!” she chided playfully.

“You promised to tell me”, Drummer said, starting to wrap her legs around Naomi again.

“Okay, okay, fine”, Naomi said. She laid on top of Drummer, their naked bodies pressed together, then rose herself up a bit and spread her legs so she was perched astride Drummer. “I was just thinking about, how can we prove that this is real, or whatever, and I just remembered, there was a time when I was with Holden-”

“Okay, mood killer. I don’t need to hear about you and your ex Earther male captain-”, Drummer began, but Naomi cut her off.

“No no no – I'm just saying, to make a point, that one time, when I was with him…”

“What…?”

“I almost called out your name”, Naomi said, sheepishly.

Drummer stared at her for a moment, and then said, “You did what?”

“I almost called out your name instead of his.”

At that Drummer laughed and then scoffed lightly. ”Are we really that similar that you can’t tell us apart?” she asked jokingly, and then jested, “Is he even remotely close to being as good as me in bed?”

“Oh shut it”, Naomi said, then frowned. “Hey – you wanted to hear what I was laughing about.”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding”, Drummer said.

“Goofball”, Naomi said again. Drummer rolled her eyes playfully, and Naomi said, “Anyway…I told you just as an example that I’ve been thinking about you, even when you were far, far away.”

Drummer smiled and then gently pulled Naomi down onto her. “I’m glad you told me”, she said, then gave Naomi a deep kiss. ““I was thinking about you too, even when you were far away”, she said. Naomi smiled and then settled down on top of Drummer, and Drummer started stroking her hair again.

“If you keep doing that, I’ll fall back asleep”, Naomi said lightly. “And I’d hate to waste a precious day of vacation in bed.”

“Spending the day with you in bed doesn’t sound like a waste as far as I’m concerned”, Drummer said, smiling.

“True”, Naomi said. She lifted up her head and gazed at Drummer, then leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to her lips. Drummer smiled, and then Naomi said, “Well, I’m not opposed to spending the entire day in bed with you, but you know what I want right now?”

“Another hip-arching, toe curling orgasm?” Drummer quipped.

“Yes, in a bit, my haughty security chief, but you know what I want before that? Coffee.”

“We have our own coffee maker in here” Drummer said. Naomi squealed in delight and started to get out of bed. “No – I’ll make, you stay in bed, my darling model.”

Naomi smiled, then rolled to the side to allow Drummer to sit up, lightly grazing her fingers along Drummer’s naked toned body as she slid off the bed. “Hurry back”, Naomi said, and Drummer looked back suggestively and smiled.

A minute later Drummer was back with two cups of coffee. “Here”, she said, handing one to Naomi.

“Thanks”, Naomi said. She took a sip and closed her eyes. “Mmmmm.”

“It’s real earth coffee, made from proper coffee beans, from South America”, Drummer said. “Well, as real as real can get in here. But, well, it tastes real.” Naomi smiled and then went to take another sip, when the cup shook in her hands.

“What just happened?” Naomi asked. “The cup just shook in my hands.

“I don’t know-” Drummer said, when Naomi’s cup shook in Naomi’s hand again. This time Drummer’s cup shook as well. “Oh no”, Dummer said, then looked around as the whole room started to shake. 

“What’s going on?” Naomi asked.

“We gotta get back”, Drummer said. “Something is happening to the station.”


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

‘Where the hell have you been?” Johnson asked gruffly as Drummer and Naomi entered the command control room on Tycho Station.

“Sorry”, is all Drummer said.

“And what is she doing here?” Johnson asked, looking at Naomi.

“She’s with me”, Dummer said, then quickly added, “What’s happening?” in part to find out what was actually happening, and in part to divert away from any further discussion about Naomi.

“We just got hit with a missile, think it’s from a Martian warship, but MCR is denying sanctioning any attacks.

“That’s because it was a rogue ship”, said Holden, as he walked into the command area. With him were Amos and Alex.

“Jim…”, Naomi said, looking over. “Amos. Alex.”

“Naomi”, Holden said back. Amos and Alex nodded.

Drummer looked at Holden, then quickly at Naomi, then back at Holden. “Explain”, she said.

“The attack wasn’t sanctioned by MCR. It was a Martian battleship, yes, but it’s crewed by rogue operatives. Mars didn’t authorize the attack”, Holden said.

“Why hit this station?” Drummer asked.

“Because they’re trying to start a war”, said Chrisjen Avasarala, striding up.

“What are you doing here?” Johnson asked.

“She’s with us”, Holden said. “We picked her up, and a Martian gunnery sergeant, when we answered a distress call from Jules Pierre Mao's ship a week ago.”

“The ship that launched the strike is part of a faction that wants Mars to reign supreme in the galaxy”, Chrisjen said.

“Then we’ll hit them back”, Johnson said.

“Hit who back?” Naomi asked.

“The Martian ship that hit us”, Johnson replied.

“You’re gonna start a war if you retaliate”, Holden said.

“Agreed”, Chrisjen said. She paused for a moment and looked at the group, then said, “Jules-Pierre Mao is dead. The proto-molecule is gone too. No one has it. Except for one party.” She paused for a moment and then looked at Johnson and Drummer. “You.” She let that sink in for a moment and then said, “The UN has spoken with Mars. Both sides agree – this has got to stop. They’re asking for you to destroy your sample of the proto-molecule. In return, Mars will take care of this rogue faction, and then – finally - we can have peace.”

“No one else has to die”, Holden said. Johnson and Drummer stared at him and then at Chrisjen.

“Look – I understand you’re hesitant to give it up”, Chrisjen said. “But if you get rid of your sample of the proto-molecule, then no one has it. And no one has to worry about another side developing it and using it against anyone else.”

“No way”, Johnson said resolutely. “Our sample of the proto-molecule is the only thing that gives Earth and Mars any reason to consider us.”

“Without it, we’re just space garbage to Inners”, Drummer said. “Second class citizens. Always.”

“Not true”, Christjen said.

“How do we know Earth and Mars don’t really have it and are just hiding it?” Johnson asked suspiciously.

“You don’t”, Chrisjen said, “but I give you my word that it’s true.”

“That’s not enough to convince me”, Johnson said.

“I figured that’s what you’d say”, Christen said. “That’s why there’s more to the deal. The UN and Mars have offered to make the Outer Planets part of a three-way organization, dedicated to bringing peace and equality to the system. The Outer Planets will become independent. Their own economy. Their own government. No more air or food restrictions from the Inner planets.” She paused to let that sink in. “The Outer Planets will be on equal terms with Earth and Mars.”

“Bullshit”, Johnson.

“Look – I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. Look – you can talk with the governments of Mars and Earth yourself to verify”, Chrisjen said, holding up her phone.

“Why did they send you?” Johnson asked.

“Because she’s a diplomat, and we happened to be in the area”, Holden said, with a shrug.

“Look – building a new government is not going to happen overnight, but this is the start – the first big step”, Chrisjen said. “This is it, Fred – this is how you start getting what you always wanted: for the Outer Planets to be seen as equals to Earth and Mars.”

Johnson stared at Chrisjen, then looked at the room. “You”, he said to Drummer, “stay. Everyone else out.”

“I’d like Naomi to stay”, Drummer said. Johnson looked at her, and Drummer continued. “She’s the one who gave us the proto-molecule. If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation , and the Inners wouldn’t be considering bringing us to the table.”

Johnson looked at Naomi, then at Drummer, then back at Naomi. “Alright”, he said. “The rest of you can wait in the mess”, and with that, Drummer motioned, and a few Tycho security guards escorted Holden, Amos, Alex and Chrisjen out of the room. 

“We should call Dawes”, Drummer said.

“He doesn’t need to be in this”, Johnson said back.

“He should be”, Drummer said. “He’s a Belter. A prominent Belter.”

“We can make this decision without him”, Johnson said.

“This is a big decision, for all Belters”, Drummer said. “We have the fate of the Belt in our hands right now. We can alter the course of history.” When Johnson didn’t say anything, she said, “The Inners see us as lower class savages who can’t govern ourselves. If we want to prove them wrong, to be seen as a diplomatic entity, capable of running our own government, then we should start within us, Belters, and make this decision diplomatically”, Drummer said.

Johnson stared at her for a moment, then looked at Naomi. “Fine”, he acquiesced. He punched up a monitor and called Dawes.

“Fred”, Dawes said into the screen, then saw Drummer and Naomi. “Ah, and my sweet security chief, and the pretty engineer, who gave the Belt the proto-molecule. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“It’s about the proto-molecule”, Johnson said, and filled in Dawes on the situation.

“That is news indeed”, Dawes said. “What do you want to do?”

“We should keep the proto-molecule”, Johnson said.

“I agree”, Drummer said.

“Hmmmm”, Dawes said. He appeared to be thinking for a moment, and then said, “I think Naomi should decide.”

“What?” Johnson said. “Why?”

“Because she delivered it to the Belt”, Dawes said.

“But she’s not a politician, or a military commander. She shouldn’t make this decision”, Johnson said.

“Hey, I’m right here”, Naomi said crossly to Johnson.

Johnson looked over. “This is a huge decision. You can’t make this.”

“But the fact that she’s not a politician or a military commander is exactly why she should make this decision”, Dawes said. “Fred – you, me, even our beautiful security chief – we are close, maybe too close to see. Naomi is A Belter, and she’s more like other Belters than we are. Therefore, she represents them better than we do. If we are maKing this decision for all OF the Belt, we should have the person closest to the average Belter make the call.”

Johnson looked at Dawes, and then at Drummer and Naomi. He didn’t want to be the one to not make the decisions, but he needed Dawes’ support, and that meant acquiescing to Dawes’ suggestion, at least to some degree. He sighed heavily and then said, “Fine. I’ll hear her out, and then we – the four of us – can make the call, together.”

“Sounds fair to me”, Dawes said, then looked at Naomi. “What say you, engineer girl?”

Naomi looked at Dawes on the screen. When she had woken up this morning, she hadn’t considered that, a few hours later, she would be making a decision that could change the course of history for the Belt. She stared at Dawes for a moment longer, then looked at then at Johnson, and then at Drummer. “I want to talk with Drummer alone, please.”

“Okay, have at it, call me back”, Dawes said. “Just don’t take too long”, he added with a sly smile and a wink, then signed off and the screen went black.

“Drummer”, Johnson said. 

“Fred – it’s okay”, Drummer said. “Please.”

Johnson looked at the two women, and then motioned to a conference room a few feet away. Naomi and Drummer went into the room and closed the door.

“What do we do, D?” Naomi asked.

“We should keep the proto-molecule”, Drummer said. 

“Keeping it is not going to bring respect to the Belt.”

“They don’t treat us as equals.”

“But keeping the proto-molecule is not going to change that”, Naomi said.

“Maybe not, but if we have it, they’ll need to respect us.”

“It won’t be respect, it will be fear.”

“Same thing.”

“No it’s not!” Naomi shouted.

Drummer stared at her, shocked by the outburst, then thought – it’s hard to believe that, a short time ago, we were snuggling together in bed, in a bungalow by the beach.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout at you”, Naomi said. “But listen – just say we keep it and they fear us. What then?”

“They will respect us and maybe even leave us alone”, Drummer said.

“But has that ever been true? For any group of people that has had a weapon? No – the other sides just search for their own weapon. And so on and so on. Where does it end?”

“It ends when they respect us and leave us alone.”

“But they will respect us if we give up our sample”, Naomi said. 

Drummer scoffed. “They’ll see us as weak and foolhardy if we give up our weapon.”

“No”, Naomi said, her voice softening in tone, but rising with conviction. “They’ll see us as evolved.” She stepped into Drummer and lightly touched her arm. “Think about it – they think of us as savages. How does keeping a nuclear warhead dispel that notion?” Drummer didn’t answer, so Naomi continued. “You said it yourself - we need to prove to them that we're not savages. So we show them that we’re human, that we can think big picture, think ahead, think about more than just warmongering. Think about more than just ourselves. That’s how we will get their respect.”

“They treat us like shit. Always have”, Drummer said, tears forming in her eyes, thinking about a lifetime of being looked down upon, simply for being who she was.

“Yes”, Naomi” agreed. Seeing tears well up in Drummer’s eyes made tears start to form in her own. “They need to treat us better. But let’s prove to them that we deserve it.”

Drummer looked at Naomi and half-smiled, half scoffed. “You’re a Belter. How can you like them so much?”

“Not every Inner is an asshole. Not every Inner thinks Belters are beneath them”, Naomi said.

Drummer stared at Naomi and then stepped away. “I see. Must be that Inner Holden you were with.”

“Camina!” Naomi gasped harshly, calling Drummer by her first name, which she rarely did. Most of the time it was “D”. She withdrew her hand from Drummer’s arm.

“That’s why you like Inners so much”, Drummer said, a combination of loathing and hurt in her voice. 

Naomi stared at Drummer. So that was it. Well, part of it. She doesn’t like Inners. A lifetime of being spat upon by them made that understandable. But she also doesn’t like the fact that I’ve been with Holden, an Earther. She stared at Drummer for another moment, took a deep breathe to help her measure her words, and then said, “Look – yes, Holden and I were together. But that’s over”, Naomi said. “She stepped towards Drummer and lightly took her arms. “I understand why you don’t like Inners. I truly do.”

“I don’t like that you were with Holden”, Drummer said.

“I know, and I can’t change the past, but now is the present”, Naomi said, “and in this now, this present, I like you. And I know you like me too. How else could we have spent such a magical day at a resort on the beach together?”

Drummer looked in Naomi’s eyes. “Yes. I do like you.”

“Then can you get past me being with Holden?”

Drummer sighed. “Yes, I can get past that. But, beyond that, I am loyal to the Belt.”

“I’m a Belter, Camina”, Naomi said.

“You like Inners!”, Drummer exclaimed, then backed up a step. “I can’t be with someone who is not on the Belt’s side.”

“I am on the Belt’s side!” Naomi exclaimed. “Look – just because I don’t hate every Inner doesn’t mean I’m not on the Belt’s side.” She stared at Drummer and then said, “Look – we keep the proto-molecule, that will breed distrust. Then Earth and Mars will start looking for another weapon. And then there will be war, and then no one wins.” She stepped closer to Drummer. “I want the Belt to survive, to thrive, to be seen as an equal place as Earth and Mars. That’s how the Belt wins. We show the Inners that we are just as capable of taking care of ourselves as they are, or even better. Not by having a weapon that no one else does.”

Drummer stared at Naomi for a moment. “You know, if we destroy the proto-molecule, then we have given up our edge. We will have nothing else, if this doesn’t work.”

“Then we’ll have Johnson and Dawes talk with Earth and Mars before we destroy it, “Naomi said. “Look - there’s always going to be another weapon to find or develop. But this offer – this offer is what we’ve been waiting for all of our lives. This offer, is our edge.” She reached forward and took Drummer’s arms again. “I want to have a world where we’re together, you and I. Where we can go on vacations, and have drinks, and play handball, and go dancing. If there’s a war, then we won’t have that.”

“We can’t be afraid of war”, Drummer said.

“I know. But not being afraid of war doesn’t mean we have to start it. If we have to fight, we have to fight, but let’s not fight if we don’t have to.” Naomi smiled slightly and then slid her hands down Drummer’s arms and took Drummer’s hands into her own. “You’re the bravest person I know, and I know if war breaks out, you’re going to be the first person they call to go. I don’t want the world to end, and I don’t want to live in a world without you. That’s all that matters to me." She squeezed Drummer’s hands. “I know you’ve got an obligation to defend the Belt, but I hope that being alive, and being with me, matters to you too.”

Drummer sighed. “Of course it does.”

“Camina - this is the moment we’ve have been waiting for”, Naomi said. “Look – I know how we’ve struggled, as Belters, but we can be the start of ending that, right now. We can be the ones to make a difference.” She gazed into Drummer’s eyes. Drummer stared back, and then Naomi leaned in and planted a gentle, lingering kiss on Drummer’s lips.

Drummer looked at Naomi, and then smiled slightly. “How do I argue against that?”

Naomi smiled back put her forehead against Drummer’s. “Softest security chief ever”, she giggled softly.

“Don’t tell anyone, or I will reverse my position”, Drummer said, smiling wider, then caught Naomi’s lips with another kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it - This chapter takes place 10 years later.

“Kalani”, Naomi said. No answer. “Kalani”, Naomi said again, louder. Still no answer.

“Kalani!” Naomi yelled. This time her eight year old son took off his headphones.

“What, Ma?” Kalani looked over, annoyed.

“What are you doing, laying on your bed?” Naomi asked, looking at the space racer simulator on the tablet in her son’s hands. “You’re supposed to be doing your homework at your desk.”

“In a minute”, Kanani said, turning back to his tablet.

“No. Now”, Naomi said.

“Maaaaa”, Kalani whined. 

“Homework first, then you can race on your simulator.”

“Nooooo”, Kalani whined again. He was a good kid, and a sweet boy, but he was always testing Naomi to see what he could get away with. It was both maddening and endearing at the same time, Naomi thought, but then smiled. Endearing usually won out. Also, she didn’t have to be the bad cop, which was nice.

“Kalani – you can either do your homework now, or you can wait for Mama to come home to tell you to do your homework”, Naomi said, raising her eyebrows in polite warning. Kalani’s face froze, and Naomi turned around, then started to walk out of the room, a small smile creeping onto her face, knowing the motivational result that would have for her son.

“No, wait!”, Kalani said, all of a sudden in motion, moving off his bed and hopping onto the chair at his desk.

Naomi, hearing the commotion, turned back into the room. “Taki”, she said. Kalani brought up his homework on his tablet. He stared at it for a moment and then looked back at Naomi. “What is it?” Naomi asked.

“I hate homework.”

“Kalani…”

“It’s hard, Ma”, Kalani said. He paused and then said, “I don’t understand it.”

“Okay, let me help. We’ll figure it out together”, Naomi said. She smiled encouragingly, then sat beside her son. It was math. Naomi excelled at math, Kalani not so much. She got his mama’s genes in that regard, she mused, then stared at her son for a moment. And her looks - straight black hair and piercing eyes. “Okay, look here – it’s just a derivative equation”, she said, then started to explain the process to Kalani. “Make sense?”

“I guess so, but I don’t see why I need to know this stuff if I want to be a racer”, Kalani said. He rolled his eyes, something else he got from his mama, Naomi thought.

“Because racing is not a real job”, Naomi said. “And even if you race for fun, if you break down, you need to know how to fix your ship. That means understanding engineering. And that means understanding math.” She looked at Kalani, who nodded his head, and then she smiled at him and said, “You’ll get it, just keep at it.” Kalani smiled at the words of encouragement, and Naomi kissed him on the head, then stood up and exited his room. She walked down the hall of the spacious apartment and went into the family room, where her four year old daughter Inari was practicing piano.

“Sounds lovely”, she said encouragingly, and kissed Inari on the head. “You’re getting very good.”

“Taki ma”, Inari said. At this stage she was really just hitting one note at a time, but she enioyed it, and that was the most important thing.

Naomi sat down on the sofa and listened to her daughter play, then a few minutes later she heard the front door disengage. She smiled and got up, then walked to the door. “There she is”, she said as Drummer walked through the door.

“And there’s my model”, Drummer said, smiling. She reached out for Naomi’s waist and took Naomi in her arms. Naomi wrapped her arms around Drummer’s neck.

“Welcome home”, Naomi said, and planted a tender kiss on Drummer’s lips.

“Good to be home”, Drummer said, smiling. “How was your day?”

Naomi smiled. “It was fine.” Since she and Drummer had started having a family, Naomi had quit engineering full time and had started working part time teaching at OPU – Outer Planets University. She usually only taught for half the day, which gave her time at home with Kalani and Inari. “How was your day?”

“The usual. Busy. Stressful. But for the Belt.” Drummer was the Secretary of Defense for the OPA, and part of the executive committee, along with Chancellor Anderson Dawes, Administrator Fred Johnson, and a small handful of others.

“Well, maybe I can help you de-stress”, Naomi said, then smiled. Drummer smiled back and planted a solid kiss on her wife’s mouth, then started to open the kiss, when she heard little footsteps.

“Mama!” Inari said.

Drummer and Naomi broke the kiss, then both laughed at the inopportune timing, which was pretty much always with kids around, although they wouldn’t trade them for the world.

“Hello, munchkin”, Drummer said, then leaned over and kissed her daughter on the head.

“Welcome home, Mama”, Inari said,.

“Taki, munchkin”, Drummer said.

“When’s dinner, Ma?” Kalani asked, walking into the room. “Oh, hi Mama”, he said, seeing Drummer. “I’m doing my homework. Lots of homework”, he quickly added.

“I’m sure you are, my sweet boy”, Drummer said, giving her son a hug, and then looking over at Naomi skeptically. She knew how he liked to stall, and was pretty sure that he hadn’t been doing any homework until Naomi had threatened him with having to face his mama.

“So when’s dinner?” Kalani asked again. “I can’t tink on an empty stomach.”

“I’ll get it started”, Naomi said. “Now go finish your homework while you wait”, she said to Kalani, who rolled his eyes and then trotted back to his bedroom.

“I hate that eyeroll”, Naomi said to Drummer. “And you know who he gets that from”, she said, pointing at Drummer. Drummer smirked, and Naomi mocked back.

“He also gets his good looks from me too”, Drummer said.

“I’m good looking too”, Inari said.

“Yes, you are”, Naomi agreed, smiling.

“You look like model, like your ma”, Drummer said. Inari had Naomi's big eyes, mocha skin and curly hair. The little girl smiled and then wandered off back to her piano.

“I’ll go start dinner”, Naomi said. “Be a few minutes. You can get changed”, she said to Drummer, then smiled and gave her a kiss.

********

“Who do you want to get ready for bed?” Drummer asked Naomi as they were cleaning up from dinner. “Your choice”, she told her wife, and smiled. Kalani was in his room, probably on his racing simulator, and Inari was in the living room, setting up a fake dinner with some toy plates and cups.

Naomi looked over at Inari. “Hmmmm…I’ll take the munchkin”, Naomi said. She stared for a moment and then said, “Maybe in a couple years, she can take over doing this”, Naomi joked, looking at the dinner plates and pans she was washing.

“Wouldn’t that be nice”, Drummer said. She smiled, then moved in behind Naomi and put her arms around Naomi’s waist. “Maybe she can make us dinner too, so we can just lay in bed all day.” She planted a soft kiss on the back of Naomi’s neck and nuzzled into her.

“Now that sounds lovely”, Naomi said. She smiled, then turned the water off, turned around in Drummer’s arms, and put her arms around Drummer’s neck. Drummer smiled, and then Naomi placed a kiss on Drummer’s lips, then lightly licked them.

“Don't tempt me”, Drummer said and smiled, and Naomi giggled.

******** 

“Goodnight munchkin”, Naomi said.

“Goonight Ma. Goonight Mama”, Inari said.

“We love you”, Drummer said. She and Naomi gave Inari kisses, one on each cheek at the same time, and then turned out the lights and closed the door to her room. Then they went down the hall to Kalani’s room.

“Okay, handsome – time for bed”, Naomi said, entering first.

“Ugh, Ma, five more minut-” Kalani started but then paused when he saw Drummer standing behind Naomi. Drummer lowered her gaze and raised her eyebrows slightly, and Kalani said, “Oh-okay, now”, and put his tablet away. “I wanna be a racer when I get older”, he said to his parents.

“You can race for fun, sweet boy”, Drummer said.

“No! For real job! I want to be like-”

“Maneo, that guy who hit the rings?” Naomi said.

“You know how he ended up”, Drummer said.

“He’s a hero!” Kalani said, excitedly.

“He’s dead”, Naomi said. “And it’s not like he died defending the Belt.”

“Well, I guess not…” Kalani trailed off.

“Okay, time for bed. We can talk about racing another time”, Drummer said. She motioned for Kalani to tuck in, and then she and Naomi bent over his bed. “We love you.”

“I love you too”, Kalani said to both Naomi and Drummer.

“Sleep tight, handsome boy”, Naomi said. She and Drummer smiled at Kalani, then each gave him a kiss, then turned out the lights and walked out the door. Naomi nuzzled into Drummer as they walked down the hall. “See?”

“See what?” Drummer asked.

“Good thing we didn’t keep the proto-molecule all those years ago. We avoided war and ended up with a beautiful family.”

“Don’t start”, Drummer said, and rolled her eyes playfully.

“What? Just saying”, Naomi said and smiled.

“You’ll never let me live that down, huh?” Drummer asked. “That you were the one to make the decision to destroy the proto-molecule.”

“Well, it worked, right?” Naomi said lightly smug.

Drummer stopped in front of their bedroom. She wrapped her arms around Naomi. “Yes, it did work”, she said, and gave Naomi a deep kiss.

“Are you trying to shut me up?” Naomi asked with a smirk.

“Yes.” Drummer smiled back.

“Well, that's working, too”, Naomi said, then gave Drummer a deep kiss back. “Do you still want to de-stress?” she asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

“Yes, I do”, Drummer said with a smile. At that, Naomi smiled back and then pulled her into the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the story!


End file.
